on listening to your body & recovery

I've spoken previously on motivation and determination here, and I definitely feel the same. it's important to recognize that even on days when you are feeling lazy you should keep moving. and yes, pushing yourself is very important to get stronger and progress.

but along with that, it's important to listen to your body and what you actually NEED to do. this is something that I've struggled with. something I've struggled with throughout my entire workout journey, to be frank.

over the past few months, I have changed up my routine A LOT. new job, long commutes, training for multiple events, engagement, wedding planning, looking for an apartment, and it's been EXHAUSTING.

so with that, I have noticed that my training has been WAY harder. and, yes, I am pushing myself and working with new weights and pushing my pace, but I am tired ALL OF THE TIME. And that's not normal! 

I had noticed a lot of changes in my mood and appetite and motivation and in how my training was going. (So many hand tears) 

So I knew that I needed to take a break. Looking back over the past year, I hadn't taken a real break (rest for more than a day or two) in, well, almost a year. (Right around my move down to San Diego) which was not including the time in December when I was basically vomiting the entire month due to every type of illness I could manage to get (likely because I was exhausted and my immune system was compromised). 

I made the decision that after my June competition that I would take about a week off. So after my snatch set, I took the whole week off from any real lifting. Which was not easy for me; 1) because I work in fitness so I'm surrounded with people working out all day 2) I do really enjoy exercise 3) it's part of my routine and I am a creature of habit. 

 And what did I do on my rest week? 

Not a lot. Sometimes a walk. Sometimes some yoga. Sometimes a little bit of mace swinging. By the end of the week I was doing some fun flows with the kettlebell at light weights. And that's it. I didn't do anything crazy and recovered all week. 

I also didn't change up my eating habits. I ate basically the same things as I usually do as far as I could tell. 

I checked my Heart Rate Variance on an app (HRV4Training) to see where it thought I was in my recovery as well. Just to have some unbiased science in on my recovery, too. 

And by the end of the week I had more energy, my moods were in a better space, my appetite had gotten more normal.  

I just felt much better. My training all last week was back to regular strength, I haven't been waking up tired. It's been awesome. 

If you are noticing that your training is taking a hit, if you're tired all the time, if you're just wholly unmotivated for weeks at a time, if you're moody and just feeling off ~ it may be time for a break

I know there's fear of stopping when you're in a routine, but i promise it does you more good than continuing to train while you're burnt out. Take the few days off and let your body recover fully so you can actually enjoy your training. It's well worth it. 

the importance of core strength

One of the supposed pinnacles of fitness is to have 6 pack abs or a lean stomach, and to do that you gotta do a million a half sit ups or something crazy. (you don’t). having abs is GREAT but it is not the point or end all be all of fitness.

this is not a post about how to get abs, cause to be quite honest, I don’t have a 6 pack or any version of one. 6 packs are largely genetic and then come from a low amount of bodyfat (which means a pretty strict diet). And since I don’t have the abs like that I’m not gonna write about it.

this post is about is having a strong core… which you can have without a 6 pack and it is definitely something everyone should strive for. 

So what is core strength?

It is the strength of the underlying muscles of the torso. That is your stomach area muscles and your back muscles. Basically…the entire middle of your body is your core.

Why is core strength important?

SO MANY REASONS!

let me layout a few:

1.    helps prevents injuries – core strength creates core stability which means you’ll be safer moving throughout your workouts and life.
2.  protects your internal organs and nervous system – if you have a weak core, your body is more susceptible to harm, and one of the biggest part of your body is your spine and spinal cord. leaving the muscles that surround that highly important part of your body leaves it open for injury
3.   prevents back pain – legitimately the largest reason why I do so much core workouts. i injured my back a lot throughout middle school up through college playing goalkeeper in college which has definitely led to more back issues in my adult life. i threw my back out entirely… to the point that I was limping around work when I was TWENTY-FOUR. after that I did core strengthening workouts 2-4 times a week and I have not had any back pain since incorporating that into my training routine.
4.   helps posture – if you strengthen the entire middle of your body, you’ll be sitting up much stronger and taller.
5. improve your balance – as you build your core strength and your posture, you’ll be able to move easier throughout life and be able to stand up strong and fall over as easy as you would with no core strength.
6. perform life easier – you probably don’t realize that you use your core very often in your day to day… let me inform you that you do. you are (or at least should be) using your core muscles throughout your entire day and when you have a strong core your life will be easier.
7.  perform sports at a higher level – your core is where your power comes from. so it makes sense that as you strengthen those core muscles, you’ll be able to run faster, punch harder, and kick stronger.

okay! how do I get a stronger core??

good news! it’s not a bunch of sit ups. actually, I never do regular sit ups because they aren’t that great for you and also they hurt my lower back.

here are some exercises you should be incorporating into your workouts:

•   russian twist
•  plank
  • and plank variations
• heel taps
•  mountain climbers
• jack knives
•  toe taps
•  suitcase crunch
•  leg lifts
•  bird dogs
•  cable twists
•   glute bridges
•   turkish get ups

just to name a few 😊

need some help getting started? Follow me on Instagram and facebook where I post workouts and health and fitness articles every day!

want some more personalized training? Contact me at tiffnessfitness@gmail.com or on my Instagram and facebook pages.

Any questions? Leave a comment below or send me a message on any of my pages!

what are: macronutrients?

if you're looking up things about fitness and/or nutrition you've probably come across the term macronutrients or macros. macros are a hugely important part of strength training and fat loss but can seem pretty intimidating. you'll see it in reference to carb cycling, IIFYM, keto, zone diet, etc. there are a lot of ways to use macros to your benefit, but let's start with the basics! 

so what are macros? 

pretty simply, they are carbohydrates, fat, and protein. 

carbs:

basics: 4 calories per gram. the primary function of carbs are to fuel organ activity (brain, heart, and skeletal muscle). 

what you need to know: carbs give you energy, and are the primary source of energy in the body. they fuel your body functions.

they are NOT the reason you have gained weight or are overweight, that only has to do with the amount of calories you eat in a given day/week/etc. you can eat carbs late at night and still lose weight (promise), as long as you are staying in your given calorie range.

the general daily recommended intake is approximately 45 - 65% of your caloric intake. this does vary upon the activity of the person. the more active, the more carbs recommended. 

where you can find carbs: fruits, vegetables, potatoes, sweet potatoes, breads, beans, rice, granola, sugary sweets (limit these though)

fat:

basics: 9 calories per gram. primary function is fuel,but also helps with insulation, protection, and transportation in the body. very important for brain function. 

what you need to know: fats keep your body going. not the first choice for your body to use as energy, but will be used (especially if you do not consume a lot of carbs)

and fats do NOT make you fat. you NEED fat for your body to function properly. Fat fuels cell function, brain function & development, vitamin absorption, and protects the body's organs. Not to mention, fats keep you fuller longer, so you'll get less hungry. 

the general daily recommended intake is approximately 20-40% of your caloric intake. once again, this varies person to person, depending on their lifestyle. 

where you can find fats: nuts, seeds, coconuts, oils, avocados, olives, cheese, eggs. (avoid trans fats when possible)

protein:

basics: 4 calories per gram. two basic types of proteins - structural and regulatory. structural proteins work in your skin, cell membranes, muscle, and bone tissue, to help build and repair. regulatory proteins are enzymes, transportation, defense, contractile, hormones, and serums, which work to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. 

what you need to know: protein is the big macro that you'll hear most any fitness person talking about, and for good reason. protein is the key element in muscle building and repair. when you weight lift or run or workout in general you are wearing down or creating tiny tears in your muscles... so you NEED protein to rebuild those muscles to make them stronger for the next time you do that workout. 

also, protein is the best macro to keep you full. so if you are cutting calories or just need help not overeating, protein is the way to go. 

the general daily recommended intake is approximately 10-35% of you caloric intake. however, if you're active or an athlete, you may need more. 

where you can find proteins: chicken, turkey, cheese, eggs, beans, lentils, beef, eggs, quinoa, tofu, soy or whey proteins. 

there you have it! this by no means is a complete overview of all of the ins and outs of macros but it is a pretty good overview, if i do say so myself. i will be doing complete posts on each macro at some point in the future along with a post on micro-nutrients, and on all the diets mentioned in the intro.

But if you have any questions right now...I would love to hear them! 

You can leave thoughts, comments, or questions below or ask me on facebook or instagram!